Railway-signal.



C. 0. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 191B.

' Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES Q. M LMJ v 244% C. O. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. I918- Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR M f I (2. avg

WITNESSES 5? MMWYM M' C. 0. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILEDSVEPT. 14, 1918.

Patentd Apr. 1,1919,-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 NVENTOR ww NR Q 1 3 a MW 5% a saw mm aw mm &. h A F s L 3 v L E R k m 8 m w m N l rm; "cams PEYERS can PnoYo-u'n 'is moving from one position to another.

CLINTON O. HARRINGTON,

SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, AS'SIGNOR TO THE UNION SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filed September 14, 1918. Serial No. 254,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON O. HARnING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Sign-als, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signals; and particularly tosignals of the type comprising a semaphore biased to the stop position, a motor for moving the semaphore to one or more proceed positions, and means including an electromagnet for holding the' semaphore in the position or positions to which it has thus been moved. In the form of signal which I shall describe, the means including the electromagnet is also employed to operatively connect the motor with the semaphore to enable the former to move the latter.

In signals of this character, the load on the electromagnet is not as great when the semaphore is being held at rest in the proceed position or positions, as it may be at other times particularly when the semaphorle 1; follows, therefore, that the degree of energization of the magnet may be less while the semaphore is being held in the proceed position or positions than at other times, with the result that the total energy consumed by the signal is greatly reduced, because, under usual conditions, the total time per day that a signal is held in the proceed position is much greater than the time it occupies other positions, and likewise much greater than the time consumed in moving from one position to another by motor energy.

One object of my invention, then, is the rovision of means for so changing the connections of the individual coils of the said electromagnet with the source of current that such coils receive a high degree of energization at such times as they may be called upon to exert maximum pull, and a lesser degree of energization at other times in order to economize in power consumption. In the form of my invention shown herein, this is accomplished by connecting the two coils of the magnet in multiple to secure the high degree of energization, and in series to securethe lesser degree of energization.

I will describe one form of signal embodying my invention, and. will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing in front elevation, partly diagrammatic, one form of signal embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in side elevation part of the signal shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view show: ing one arrangement of circuits, also embodying my invention, for the control of the signal shown in the preceding views.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character S designates a semaphore which is pivotally mounted on a supporting mast or post 33. This semaphore'is biased'to the stop or horizontal position as shown in solid lines, but'may be moved to a caution or inclined position, and to a proceed or vertical position, as indicated in dash lines, by means of an electric motor M through the medium of suitable operating mechanism. In order to simplify the explanation of the operation of certain circuit controllers embodied in the signal, it is understood that, for the purpose of the present specification, the caution position of the semaphore is its 45 position, and the proceed position of the semaphore is its 90 position.

The operating mechanism for moving the semaphore S comprises an arm 34 pivotally mounted at point 34 and o eratively connected with the semaphore through suit able means indicated by the dot and dash line 46. The arm 34 is moved by chains 37 and 37*, which chains are in turn driven by the motor M in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. The chain 37 operates over a sprocket wheel 43 and another sprocket wheel 44, the first of these wheels being driven by the motor through suitable reduction gearing which is not shown in the drawing but whichv is included in the connection indicated by the dash line 65. The

chain 37 operates over a sprocket wheel 45 and another sprocket wheel 47, which latter is mounted directly behind the wheel 4-4 and is attached to thesame shaft 48 as the latter wheel. The chain 37 is provided with rollers 38, and chain 37 a is similarly provided with rollers 38, which rollers project laterally from the chains to engage with a fork 35 pivoted at point 35 in arm 34. Two pairs of rollers are provided for each chain, and the two pairs are disposed at opposite points on the chain, fork cqmprises three parallel prongs (only one of which is shown), the first and second of which co,act with the rollers 38 on chain 37 and the sec in the arm sirens. control being such that when the magnetfisj energized the'fork is held rigidl [in'ith p'bsiti sii shown with re spect to arm 34fthat is, in a projected posipasses through a slot 21- in each arm of the 30 tion g the Lr ollers and 38?, but that the fork free to' swingupwa'rdlyfto a L w I I latch as shown in Fig. 1. retracted position out of'the path of "these rollers when the. is detener'gi z'ed. It

follows, then, a t then magnet D atasemaphore S to the I ilflfQifiitBdiate "or caution position. in which p ositionlthe rollers pass out from under the. fork and the fork' is htz jntlfheldib'f,1199 1 on We L This latch is :pivoted' to the frame work of the signal m a mia ..a ,1is has tq.

the position in which it is shown by a sp'riiigf 42. If now themotor M is again operated, the fork 35 willbe .caught by 'one of the pairs of rollers 38*" on chain .37 ,.so that the I arm 34-. and semaphore S will: 'el"evatedv to the highest or rocaap saan. w reas rollers will pass out froinhmder the' 'fork: and the fork will be caught and'hel d by hook 41b 1 911. y T 1 l i PhQI W 1 1 11 remain ih e P6$i bn un i if r s D' b comes' dwhereupon the fqrkfi will swing upwardly with respect to arm and so become disen'gaged from latch 11,. so

that the arm. 34 and semaphore 'S' will'drop to their lowest positions as shovwn in the drawing.

hereinafter.

Attach d was the wp'rkpresses-11 ing mechanism islanother circuit controller l A.which is controlled jointly by the'llatch 41 i that thelatchis capabl'e. of a slight amount of movement in a general vertical direction,

and this is accomplished as follows. The

latch comprises two vertically disposed arms (see Fig. 2) which are attached to a sleeve sp t sw chl wil 10W (16'.

"-to swing on a pin 19 suitably supported in" t v I i the framework of the'mechanismJfOne arm ergize d, and motor drives" the chain 37,

one pair of rollers 33jon this chain will Ken-if gage the fork 35 and so elevateiarnrii and i 35 to move'the latch out of its path as the arm 34 approaches the intermediate and highest positions. The angle through whichthe latch can swing is preferably limited,

however} y a pin 20 which is fixed in the mework of the mechanism and which 18 is a bell crank lever which ismountecb of this lever projects under the pivotpin-"4.51" 8 5 and engages therewith, the sleeve" 16'being cut away as shownin llto permiUthe 'lever arm to engage directly with the' pii' ot' pin. Inasmuch as the lever arm engagesthe pin and not the sleev f he fr ic tion'between the arm and the pin has no tendency 'toin'ten" ferewith the swinging of the la'tch41 onits pivot pin. Thebther arm of the lever 18 projects downwardly and is connected'witli the lower arm of a'secondlever 22 through the medium of an adjustable.link23l Lever is fixedf to a shaft 24 which is jo'ur'iia led in a yoke 25 a ttached to the frameworlffof the mechanism. This averse is'bia'sed' by-fa torsion'spring 26 (see 2) to swing in counterclockwise d rect on as viewed m F1g.

'1, and hence't'his lever eXertsa forceonlever "'18 tending to turn the latter in the samedi rection. When the la'to hf fl'is" not engaged by fork 35, this tendency ofle'ver'18'to"'swing105 raises the latch to its highest position; but when the fork rests on either hook ofthe latch, the Weight of'ar'm '34 of semaphore S v t g I t t t v overcomes the action 'of spring 26 a'1idso"" The reference 5 character C designates a circuit controller which is norinally closed, but hi hj s. ips v hyakn hl, Q iIiSli-Q lating material on: just beforethis arm reaches its highest position. The fund tion of this circuit controller will appear moves the latch'down and causes levers 18110 and 22 to swing in clockwise directio'n'fr'om the positions in which they are shown in Fig.1. 1 ,t r, V I}:

Attached to the uppe'r arin of levers? block 27 of insulatingmaterial'vvhich actu- 1'15 ates the movable contact fingered-genesis" controller A. When the partsare'in the'po sitionssho-wn in Fig'. 1, contacts m 46-5 are closed, but when lever 22 'is swung by the weight'of arm 34; etc. on latch 41 these two contacts become opened an r Y tact 35 becomes closed. A s lshown "in" F 3, a second contact ope rating ar 22 "1g 3gb tached to the shaft '2 to actuate a contact 67 but this contact and its actuating arm are omitted firm ig 1 d 1 9 simp i K the drawing.

In the present formof my invention, the shaft 24 1s provlded with an upwardly proectmg cam 28 which is arranged to coact with rollers 38*. If a pair of rollers engages this cam 28 while the latch 41 is depressed by arm 34, the rollers will push the cam outwardly, and so will elevate latch 41 and reverse the contacts of circuit controller A. The reason for this actuation of circuit controller A will appear hereinafter.

The arm 34 controls two other circuit controllers which are illustrated in Fig. 3, but are omitted from Fig. 1 to simplify the drawing. Referring to Fig. 3, a shaft 29 is operatively connected with arm 34, and fixed to this shaft is a cam 30 which controls a contact finger 32 in the manner indicated by the legends on the drawing. Also attached to shaft 29 is a contact segment 31 which coacts with contact fingers 14 and 13. In order that contact 1431 may change at different positions of the semaphore according as the latteris moving up or down, segment 31 is provided with a drag segment 31 which is freely mounted on shaft 29 but is constrained to a limited movement with respect to segment 31 by a pin and slot connection or by suitable equivalent means. This drag segment causes contact 1431 to operate in the manner indicated by the legend on the drawing.

Operating current is supplied to the motor M and electromagnet D from a battery B, (see Fig. 3). The supply of currentfrom this battery to the signal is controlled by suitable means such as a polarized relay R, which relay comprises neutral armature contacts 8 and 9, and a polarized armature contact 10. The relay R is supplied with current from a battery 15 and is controlled by a pole-changerP in the usual and well known manner.

The operation of the signal and of the controlling circuits is as follows:

When the relay R is d'eenergized, the motor M, and magnet D are deenergized, so that the semaphore S is in the stop position and all of the other parts of the signal are in positions in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 3. I will now assume that polechanger P is operated to energize relay R in such direction that the polarized armature contact 10 remains open. The closing of the neutral armature contacts of this relay causes magnet D to become energized,

the circuit being from the upper terminal of battery B, through wire 12, front contact 8 of relay R, wire 49, wire 50, contact 51'32, wire 52, wire 53,-coil d of magnet D, wire 54, contact 3 2, wires55 and 56, contact 9 of relay Rfand wire 57 to battery B. Coil-(Z of magnet D is in multiple with the circuit for coil 03, the connection being from wire 52, through wire 58. contact 4.5, wire 59, coil d and wire 60 to wire 56. It will be noted that at such time the coils of magnet D are connected in multiple withthe source of current, so that theenergization of this magnet is comparatively high. The circuit for motor M is from the upper terminal of battery B, through wire 12, contact 8, wires 49 and 61, contact 14-31, wire 62, contact 76, wire 63, motor M and Wire 64 to the lower terminal of battery B. Motor M and magnet D both being energized, the arm 34 is then raised by the rollers on chain 37 so that the semaphore S is moved to its intermediate, or caution, or 45 position. Just as this position is reached, the rollers 38 pass from under fork 35, and this fork is deposited on the hook 41 of latch 41. The consequent downward movment of this latch causes the reversal of circuit controller A, and the opening of contact 67 in this circuit controller opens the circuit for motor M, whereupon the motor stops and the chains come to rest. The reversal of circuit controller A also shifts the connections for the coils of magnet D, so that these coils are then connected in series, the circuit being from battery B, through wire 12, contact 8, wires 49 and 50, contact 51-32, wires 52 and 53, coil cl, wire 54, contact 3-5, wire 59, coil d wires 60 and 56, contact 9, and wire 57 to battery B. The consequent lower degree of energization of magnet D is sufficient to enable this magnet to hold the fork 35 in engagement with latch 41.

I will now assume that when the semaphore is in the caution or intermediate pos1t1on,,pole-changer P is reversed, so that relay R becomes energized in such direction as to close its olarized armature contact 10. A new circuit for motor M is then closed, as follows: from battery B, through wire 12, contacts 8 and 10 of relay R, wires 66 and 69, contact C, wires 70 and 63, motor M and wire 64 to battery B. Motor M, therefore, operates to move the chains .37 and 37 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Just before the rollers 38 which are at the bottom of chain 37 raise fork 35 from hook 41, the rollers adjacent the top of this chain engage with cam 28 to swing shaft 24 in counter-clockwise direction, thereby reversing circuit controller A and raising latch 41 in a vertical direction. This operation of circuit controller A returns the contacts to the positions in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the coils of magnet D are again connected in multiple. As soon as the fork 35 has been lifted from the latch 41, the force opposing the action of spring 26 is, of course, removed so that circuit controller A remains in the position shown in Fig. 3,

wire 67,contact 68532, and thence as beforo through the coilsd andvcZ in multiple,to the 1 lower terminal of battery B. Justbefore 1 the semaphore reaches the proceed or po,- sition, contact C is opened by the knob, to;

on arm 54, butpriorto this operation, the

contactfinger l3whas been engaged by con- 1 tact, segment 31, sothat :a, branch ,forthe,

motor circuit has been closed around contact C, which branch is from wire 66, through n a l -;W .e.62, and c n 76v. to

wire 63. uThe'niotor continues to operate; therefore, untiltherollers 38 have passed, out from ,under for-1:55 and the fork has been deposited on the hook Ll of latch 41. .iVhen this happens, the do wnwardmovement of the latch 41 reverses circuit controller A, as before, so thatthemotor circuit isopened at cOntactsG Tand the coils of magnet D are L again placedin series, The consequent lower energization ,of magnet l) is, however, sufiicient to cause this magnet to hold the fork 35 in engagement with the latchtl 1 It follows from the foregoing that the signal is ,being held inthe caution o the proceed position,- magnet D. consumes less energy thaneat, other t mes, whlle this mags net is functimnngend so the total; amount of energy required fortheoperation of the signal is vmaterially reduced.

If, while the signalis in the proceed position, pole-changer P is,- returned towitsi 111- termediate position, relay R will becomefde- :energized so that the circuit for magnet will be opened, whereupon; arm and semaphore- S will drop to the positions in which they. are shown in Fig.- 1 and the signal will thenagain indicate stop. (If, however, while the signal is in the proceed position, polechanger P; is reversed so that relay R becomes energized in suchdirectio'n that its polarized contact 10 opens, magnet D will at first be. deenergized, so that the semaphore vwill start to move toward the stop position.

WVhen, however, the semaphore reaches the 55 position,.contact finger 32 will reverse, so that the magnet D will become energized withits two coils connected in multiple.

Fork 35 will then be caught and held hook' ll on latch 41, so that the semaphore.

will stop in the ;caution or 45,position. During this last movement contact,,14t 31 does not close, because of the'action of the drag segment 31?. J

Although I have as; Shoal an as, scribedonly one form o ig l embodying.

my (invention, it is understood that various changes and imodlficatlons may be made therein withinithescope of the, appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Y.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isz 1.,A signal comprisinga semaphore biased to one position, means for moving it to one or more p ositions, mechanism for c'oils for operativelyjconnecting the sema-j latch, and means controlled by :said I nah;

4 is being heldby the latch and in multiple at atively connecting said semaphore aiidgsa d means and for holding saidsem'aphorefin the position or positions to which been; moved by said means, said mechanisini in fvlo cluding a magnetihaving twp coilsfand i means for connecting said two coils iii series} when the semaphore is atrestin the-position or oneof the positions to which'ithas' been I moved by said moving means, and rel-"ten; "Y5

necting the coils. in multiple other times T 2. A, signal compr sing ,a semaplipre biased to one position of indicanen,fj1n ai1s f for moving 1t ,t;o another nd cat ng po sitionfin opposition to thebiasingizfo ee, b

latchforholding h e semaphorein rainer, position, ,n echanisrn including a m g ne; ,f having two coils for operatively .coni iectiii the semaphore with said niovijngfmeansf with said latch, and contacts' and conductors .135 for connecting said two coilsiin series while the semaphoreusbeing"heldbysaid lat'ch and in multiple'at pther'timesg L, 3. A signalcomprisingasemap ore biased to one position of indicatien, mea sjfo gmov- 91) I 111g t to another ndicatlng position in, op-,

position to the 'bia'singg j'force,ca latchf for,

holding the semaphore in the latt a -PP- i i I" mechanism including a magnet phore with said moving means'and with for connect ng said c ils inet e While the semaphore'is being has by'said latch and "is multiple at other'times'. U

4. Asignal comprisin'g a semaphore biased"? to one positioncf indication, means r rmevi ing it to another indicating position,'mecha nism. 1 h d the s maphe f n he la tr"? position comprising'a latch "mcuntcdfon the other times. r e 5. Asignal comprisingasemaphorebiased T to one indicating position, means for' mov ing it; to. two other indicating positionsin opposition to the biasing force, mechanism for holding the semaphorejn each of: the lat i v ter positions and including a magn et having twocoils, .and contacts and conductors :for' connecting said coils in multiple'while semaphore. is. moving fromj one of the two latter indicating positions to, the other response to the,biasi g.. orceand forjconnecting said coils inserie's after. the sema- 'phore has been brought to rest in the last i mentioned position.

ago

6. A signal comprising a semaphore biased to one indicating position, means for moving it to an intermediate and an extreme indicating position in opposition to the biasing force, mechanism for holding the semaphore in each of the two latter positions and including a magnet having two coils, and means for connecting said coils in multiple while the semaphore is moving from said extreme position to said intermediate position in response to its bias, and in series after said semaphore hasbeen brought to rest at said intermediate position.

7 A signal comprising a semaphore biased Y to stop position, a motor for moving it to a proceed position, means including an electromagnet having two coils for operatively connecting said semaphore with said motor and for holding the semaphore in the said proceed position, and means for connecting said two coils in series or in multiple according to the load on said electromagnet.

8. A signal comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, means for moving said semaphore to caution and proceed positions, a latch for holding the semaphore in caution and proceed positions, mechanism including an electromagnet having two coils for connecting said semaphore with said moving means and with said latch, means controlled bysaid latch for connecting said two coils in series while the semaphore is being held by the latch and in multiple at other times, and

means controlled by said moving means for connecting said two coils in multiples when the semaphore is held in the caution position by said latch and the moving means is about to move the semaphore toward the proceed position.

9. A signal comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, means for moving said semaphore to a caution and a proceed position, a latch capable of slight movement by the weight of the semaphore for holding the semaphore in the caution and proceed positions, mechanism including an electromagnet having two coils for connecting said semaphore with the moving means and with said latch, a circuit controller operated by the movement of said latch for connecting said two coils in series while the semaphore is being held by the latch and in multiple at other times, and means controlled by said moving means for reversing said circuit controller in opposition to the action of the semaphore thereon when the semaphore is being held in the caution position and the moving means starts in operation to move the semaphore toward the proceed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON O. HARRINGTON.

Witnesses A. HERMAN WEGNER, E. P. CRUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

